Lasting machine



Aug. 27, 1935. A. BATES E 2,012,297

LASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1, 1954 ivvE/v TUE.-

Patented Aug. 27, 1935 [TED )FFICE.

, LASTKNG MACHHNE Arthur Bates, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Maehinery Corporation, Paterson, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 1, 1934, Serial No. 746,345 In Great Britain @ctober 28, 1933 36 Claims.

This inventionrelates to lasting machines and is illustrated as embodied in a lasting machine of the type comprising a single gripper operating progressively to pull successive portions of a shoe upper heightwise of a last and to carry the margin of each portion inwardly over an insole on the last bottom, a wiper operating to lay the tensioned portion of the upper against the bottom of the insole, and fastening-inserting mechanism by which each overwiped portion is secured.

When machines of this type are intended. for use in lasting around the toe ends of shoes as well as for lasting along the sides (and it may be also around the heel ends), they are equipped with mechanism whereby the gripper may be given auxiliary movements as it lays the marginal portions of the upper successively over the insole around the toe end of the shoe in order that the marginal portions may be plaited one over the other in compact formation. A machine of this type is disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 584,744, granted June 15, 1897, upon application of Ladd and McFeely.

In using machinesthus equipped, it is usual for the operator to present a shoe to the machine supported in his hands and, when the side portions of the shoe along the shank and along the forepart rearwardly of the toe end are to be operated on by the machine, he holds the shoe across his body andsupports it by grasping the heel endof the shoe in one hand and the toe of the shoe in the other. He is thus well able to support the shoe against the downward thrust of the fasteningdnserting mechanism of the machine as it descends sharply to insert a fastening through a side portion of the upper pulled heightwise of the last and carried over the insolo on the bottom of the last by the gripper. However, when the toe end of the shoe is to be operated on, the operator has to hold the shoe so that its toe end points more or less away from him into the region of action of the last gripper, and, since the downward thrust of the fastening-inserting mechanism, usually a tack driver, then acts on the end of the shoe as contrasted with along the side, it becomes more difficult for the operator to support the toe end of the shoe against the downward thrust of the tack driver, particularly since that one of his bands which is supporting the shoe nearer the 3e end has to be extended well away from his body. 7

It has been observed that, owing to the increased difficulty of supporting a shoe while the as end of its upper is being lasted and tacked in lasted position by a machine of the type referred to, there is a tendency for the downward thrust of the tack driver to depress the shoe somewhat in the operators hands, thereby causing the tacks to beincompletely driventhrough the upper and insole and preventing the overlaid margin of the upper materials around the toe, end from being secured as firmly to the insole as'is desired. Since the successive marginal portions 10, of theupper materials around the toe end are plaited one over the other and since a toe box or toe stiffening member is usually included in the upper materials, the total thickness of the marginal portions of the upper which are laid 15,, over the insole about the toe end is greater than the thickness of the upper materials alongthe sides of the shoe and therefore it is important that the tacks inserted through the upper, and into the insole aroundthejtoe end be clinched 20 as firmly as possible in order to secure the plaited upper materials rigidly to the insole and to hold them as fiat as possible against theinsole, it being understood that the toe end of the last is metal shod to clinch the tacks.

Objects of the present invention are rigidly to support the toe portion of a shoe during the fas-. tening-inserting and preferablyalsothe wiping operations of a lasting machine of, for example, the type above referred to and to permit free 30 manipulation of the shoe in the hands of the operator during the upper-tensioi1ing operations of such machine.

A further object is to avoid interference of the supporting means with the shoe while the sides of the shoe are being lasted. I

A feature of the invention consists the combination, with upper-tensioning. means, upper-'- wiping means and fastening-inserting mechanism, of a support which is maintained yieldingly 40 against the shoe during the upper-tensioning op eration and is held rigidly during the operation of the wiping and fastening-inserting mechanism, Preferably also the support is not only heldrigid- 1y against the shoe to prevent depression thereof, but is urged or crowded toward the shoe during at least the latter partof the wipingoperation and during the fastening-inserting operation so that, in case the fastenings are tacks, the tacks will be fully driven home and clinched against 50, the bottom of the last, thereby securing the up per materialsand the insole together in a very effective manner and also insuring thatthe action of the wiper will beefiective to flatten the lasted upper against the insoleQ r M As a still further feature of the invention, the toe support is arranged to occupy an inoperative position while the side portions of the shoe are being operated upon and may be brought into operative position by the operator when the toe end of the shoe is to be operated upon.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from "the detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the operating instrumentalities of a lasting machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of parts shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is adetail view .of parts shown in Fig. 3 taken from the opposite side;

1 A machine embodying the present invention preferably comprises a gripper Ii) which operates to grip successive portions of the margin of a shoe upper presented to the machine on a last with its sole face uppermost, to pull them heightwise of the last, and to urge them inwardly over an insole on the last bottom, the shoe being held against the upward pull of the gripper It by a sole rest I21 engaging the bottom of the shoe in the vicinity of the gripper. It will be understood also that, besides the updraw and overdraw movements which are imparted to the gripper, means similar to that disclosedin the patent above referred to may be provided for effecting clockwise or counterclockwise plaiting movements of the gripper and for controlling such movements. As usual also, the machine comprises a main slide l4 arranged to reciprocate horizontally and carrying a wiper l6 which has at its forward end a tack block l8 to which tacks are delivered from a raceway 2G by a tack separator 22 and are driven into the work when the wiper is in its forward position by a tack driver 2 The machine is preferably provided as usual with a hunter or. edge gage 26 positioned beneath the wiper l8 and arranged to occupy a forward operative position when it is to be used, for example,

when working around the toe' end of a shoe, the

' bunter being moved to a rearward inoperative position when it is not required, for example when working along the shank portion of a shoe.

In the present illustrative embodiment of the machine, there is secured below the edge gage 26 a fixed bracket 30 in which is rotatably mounted a pin 32 which extends in a direction from left to right of the machine. To this pin is fixedly secured a toe-rest-supporting arm 34 which 7 has a forwardly extending stem 36 secured in a allow the toe end of the shoe to ride smoothly over it. The tablet is arranged to be pressed upwardly against the under side of the toe end of the shoe while the toe end is being operated upon bythe machine and is able to move in a universal manner onthestem 36 to accommodate itself to the varying contours around the toe end of the shoe. The length of the toe-rest-supporting arm 34 and the stem 36 is such that the toe rest or tablet is positioned somewhat forwardly of the position which the edge gage 2B occupies in working around the toe end of the shoe, so that the tablet bears against the under side of the end of the toe just forwardly of the edge of the shoe and occupies such a position, looked at from above, between the edge gage and the shoe rest that the axis of the tack driver passes substantially through its central portion when the driver is in the position it assumes during the tack-driving operation, thus providing a support for the toe end of the shoe directly on the line in which the tacks are driven into the work.

The toerestsupporting arm 84 has formed on its rear end, rearwardly of the pin 32, a locking segment l-i having a number of ratchet teeth formed concentrically with the axis of the pin 32. When the toe rest is in operative position, the ratchet teeth :28 extend from a position directly below the pin 32 upwardly and rearwardly through an angle of about forty degrees. The pivot pin 32 has also secured to its right-hand end a cam plate 38 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam roll 59 carried by the forward end of a substantially forwardly and rearwardly extending lever 52 which is pivoted substantially midway of its length on a screw 54 threaded into the fixed bracket 3&3. V A tension spring 55 stretched between the rear end of the lever 52 and a pin 58 in the bracket 30 urges the cam roll 58 into firm engagement with the cam plate 48 and causes the latter and also the toe-rest-supporting arm when it is in the operative position shown in Fig. 1, to be urged in a clockwise direction as seen in that figure. When, however, the toe rest is pushed downwardly by the operator and the cam plate 48 thus rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1, a point indicated at 6% on the cam surface passes forwardly beneath the roll 58 and the cam plate t8, and the to-e-rest-supporting arm 34 will be urged in the reverse direction by the action of the cam roll 58 on a downwardly sloping cam face 62 on the cam plate until the stem 36 occupies a substantially vertical position determined by engagement of the cam roll 59 with a projection 64 formed on the cam plate 58 and in which position the toe rest will be entirely inoperative, as may be required when lasting the sides of the shoe. An adjustable stop-screw 65 threaded into a downward extension El of the fixed bracket 36 bears at its upper end against a leaf spring 68 fixed to the under side of the cam plate 48 and serves to limit yieldingly the amount of upward movement of the toe rest imparted to it by the spring 55 acting on the cam roll 5d. The leaf spring 68, however, is not of sufficient strength to prevent the rest from being crowded toward the shoe by means other than the spring 55, which means will be hereinafter described.

Rotatably mounted on the pin 32 at the right of the toe-rest-supporting arm 34 is a'downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 73 which carries at its lower end a pawl 32 which is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth it formed on the segment '24. The arm it has formed therein substantially midway of its length (Fig. 3) a rectangular opening is in which is positioned a cam or eccentric it formed on the left-hand 'side of a'downwardly extending arm 18 rotatably mounted on a pin 80 secured in the downward extension of the bracket? 38-, said pin extending toward the left from the extension 67..

Thep-awl i2; is rotatably mounted on an eccen' tric portion 85!. at the left-hand end of-a pin 84 which is iournaled a. bore in the lowerend of the arm-l@. 'I'he opposite endof the pin 84 has fi-xed to it a shortdepending arm 85 which has a flat face 88 adapted to be engaged by a roll 9t carried by the lower end of the downward- 1y extending. arm. '58. A tension spring 92 stretched: between apin on the pawl 12 and the bracket 33 tends to urge the pawl 12 a clockwise direction into engagement with the ratchet teethyit. A second tension spring 94 lying by the side of and to the right of the spring 92 is stretched between a hook 96 in thedepending'arm 85 and the bracket 3! andacts to turn the arnitt and thus the short pin 84 in a clockwise direction. This, due to the action of the eccentric 82 on which the pawl 12 is mounted, serves to take up any lost motion that might.

be presentbetween the pawl 12 and one of the ratchet teeth at. Thus wherever the pawl engages the toothed segment the space between the end. of the pawl and the toothnext to the left will be first taken up by the spring-operated eccentric 82 and, since any practicable pressure of the pawl against a tooth would be insufficient to turn the eccentric 82, the lever 10, eccentric 82,, pawl 72, and segment 44 form an unyielding connection to the toe support 42 whatever its operative position maybe, in which connection there is no lost motion or backlash.

Since it is desirable to be able to move the shoe freely as it is shifted to a new position at the end of each cycle of the machine, means is provided to withdraw the pawl 12 from engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 at the end of each cycle. This means will now be described.

The downwardly extending arm 18 which is pivoted on the pin 3t haspivoted to it substan tially midway of its length the lower end of'an upwardly extending rod 98. The upper end of this rod is pivoted to a forwardly extending arm of a bell crank lever ltd pivoted on a stud I62 fixed to the machine frame. An upwardly extending arm of the bell-crank lever liiii has pivoted to it the forward end of a short, rearwardly extending rod iii-i which passes through a trunnion Hi secured to the forwardly and rearwardlyreciprocating slide it which carries the tack block id. A spring Hi8 encircling the rod lu l bears at its rear end against the trunnion Hi6 and at its forward end against a shoulder on the rod lid and urges the rod forwardly so that a nut HE; on the rear end of the rod lii i contacts with the rear side of the trunnion it. On the eccentric portion 32 of the short pin a l on which the pawl 12 is mounted is formed a head portion 2 l2 (see Fig. 4) and the rear side of this headed portion H2 has a circumferential slot H4 formed in it which is engaged by a lug H6 projecting into the slot from the left-hand side of the pawl l2. When the short depending arm 85 which is fixed to the right-hand end of the pin 84 has been rocked rearwardly to an angle of some 50 degrees due to the swinging movement of the downwardly extending arm T3,. the lower end of the circumferential slot (it formed in the head H2 will contact with the lug H6 to cause the pawl 12. to move out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 56. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that as the slide it moves rearwardly near the end of the cycle of. the machine to withdraw the tacking mechanism from the shoe. being operated upon the: bell crankv l 00 will be rotated in aclock-- wise direction, as seen inFig. 1, and will cause, through the rod 98, rearward andupward swinging movement of the arm l8. As this occurs the downwardly and rearwardly extendingarm is;

causedby the action of the cam formed on the lefthand side of the arm '18, to be swung slightly toward the rear, thus relieving the. up.- ward pressure of the toe rest on the shoe. Further movement of the arm 18 brings the roll 90 in contact with the face. 88 formed on the short depending arm- 85, causing rotational movement. in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1,, oi-thepin 84 and the eccentric 82 thereon which moves the pawl 12 along the ratchet teeth suflicien-tlyto. enable the pawl 12 to be easily withdrawn from engagement with them, such. withdrawal taking piace when the pin 84 has-been rotated suficientl-y to cause the end of the slot H41 in the headlzlZ of the pin to engage the lug. lit on the pawl Conversely, as the slide [4 moves forwardly the arm 18 is swung in a clockwise direction, permitting the short arm 86 to be swung by its springas in the same direction. The end of the slot H4 is thus moved away from the lug Hfito permit the spring 82 to turn the pawl into engagement with the segment 44 which itengages somewhere between two of the ratchet teeth 46. Further swinging of the short arm- .86 by its spring 94 rotates the eccentric182 to move the ratchet along the segment until such move ment is arrested by contact of the pawl 12 withone of the teeth 46. Pressure of the pawl l2- against the tooth of the segment 44 cannot rotate the eccentric 82 and hence a positive connection without lost motion or backlash is established between the lever Ill and the toe rest 42. Fur: ther swinging of the arm 18 by its yielding connection 98, I20, [$8 with" the forwardly moving slide I4 rotates the eccentric 16 which crowds the lever it (Fig. 3) and pawl '52 in a clockwise direction to apply further upward pressure to the toe rest, during the final portion of the inward movement of the wiper and during the action of the driver 24 to insert a tack. The spring I08 will, or course, yield to permit the slide 14 to complete its movement after sufiicient pressure has been applied to the lever 70 by the eccentric 16 so that the shoe is crowded hard against the wiper it and the reaction of the shoe prevents further rotation of the eccentric I6.

In the operation of the machine the stem 36 which carries the shoe-engaging member or rest 42 will at first occupy an inoperative vertical position, the toe rest being thus positioned well away from contact with the shoe while the side lasting and tacking operations are being carried out along the side portions of the shoe until the sides have been lasted substantially as far toward the toe end. as the ends of the tip line. While the. lasting is being carried out along these opposite side portions, the shoe is held by the operator in the usual way, one-hand supporting the toe end of the shoeand theother hand supporting the heel end. After the sides of the shoe have been lasted the operator will, before he presents the shoe to the machinefor toe lasting, swing the toe-rest-supporting arm 34 upwardly to bring the toe rest 42 into operative position, the operative movement of the arm 34 being limited yieldinglyby contact of the leaf spring 68 with the stop; screw 6.6. The edge gage 26 is moved forwardly into operative position and the operator then holds the shoe up against the bottom rest I! in th e'usual way and slides the. toe end of the shoe over the toe' rest 42 into engagement with the edge gage 26. In doing this the toe rest 42 will be depressed somewhat by the shoe but will be held in contact with it by the spring 56 which tends to lift it by pressing the roll 50 on the cam 48. Having properly positioned the toe end of the shoe for the lasting gripper H] to act on it at the desired. portion, the operator depresses the starting treadle of 'the'machine, whereupon the gripper acts to impart to the'selected marginal portion of the upper a tension heightwise-of the shoe and to carry it over the insole in the usual manner. When the lasting action of the gripper has been completed on this marginal portion the slide M which carries the tack-inserting mechanism commences to move forwardly from its rearward tack-receiving position to carry the tack block I6 and tack driver 24 into their forward positions over the marginal portion of the upper which has been carried over the insole by the gripper ready for the tacking operation. Immediately after the slide 84 commences to move forwardly, the arm 18 which is pivoted'on the pin 80 will be rocked yieldingly in a clockwise direction, looked 25 spring 94. This allows the pawl 12 to be swung into engagement with the ratchet teeth 46 by the spring 92 attached to it and further rotation of the eccentrictz by the spring 94 will take up any lost motion which may exist between the pawl and one of the ratchet teeth. Thus, the toe rest 35 becomes firmly locked against downward movementfrom a position in firm engagement with the shoe-in which it was urged by the spring 56. Continued dropping movement of the arm 18 due to continued forward movement of the slide 14 will cause the eccentric 16 to swing the downwardly and rearwardly extending arm ii! slightlyin a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l, and since this arm is firmly locked by means of the pawl 12 to the toe-rest-supporting arm 34 additional upward pressure is exerted by the toe rest on the shoe just before and during the time when a tack is, being driven. Therefore, before the tack-driving operation actually takes place, the shoe not only becomes supported positively against downward thrust but is urged upwardly and becomes firmly clamped between the tack block I G and the toe rest 42, thus causing the overlasted marginal portions of the upper to be flattened still more firmly against the insole and producing a flatter feather on the shoe. The slide l4 carrying the tack-inserting mechanism continues its forward movement after the toe rest has become locked in the manner described and the tack-driving operation takes place when it has reached its most forward position, in which position the tack driver 24% will be directly in line with the toe rest 42. The toe rest remains locked against downward movement until the tack-driving operation has been completed and therefore, when the tack driver 24 actually descends to drive the tack into the work, the toe end of the shoe is supported on its under side'by'the toe rest Aland is thereby held against downward movement by the driver blow so that the full force of the tack-driving operation is available to drive the tack through the upperand insole and to clench it against'the metal plate on the last bottom with which lasts forthiswork are usually equipped. Since the last is 'held'stationa'ry, this clenching will be performed 'in a very effective manner." Since the toe end cannot be moved downwardly under the blow of the driver, the action of the driver will serve more effectively to flatten the upper against the insole as the tack is being driven into the work and therefore the upper becomes secured to the insole while it is being pressed against it under very heavy pressure, thus tending to produce a flatter feather or overlasted margin on the upper. Moreover, as will be readily appreciated, the fact that the toe end of the upper is supported in a positive manner by the toe rest relieves the operator of the necessity of resisting the downward thrust exerted on the shoe by the driver and therefore makes it easier for him to operate the machine.

After each tack-inserting operation has been completed, the slide M carrying the tack-inserting mechanism is withdrawn rearwardly to receive a tack for the next lasting and tacking operation and as it does so the pawl 12 is withdrawn out of engagement with the ratchet teeth it on the toe-rest-su'pporting arm 34 through its conncction'with the tacker slide l t, and the toe rest is restored to a floating condition, that is, a condition in which it is upheld in engagement with the under side of the toe of the shoe yieldingly by the action of the spring 56. With the rest in this condition the shoe is readily movable relatively to the gripper to enable a further portion of the upper to be presented thereto since the rest can rise or fall in contact with the shoe to accommodate itself to variations in the heightwise or transverse curvature thereof. When the next portion of the upper comes to be operated on and just before the slide l4 carrying the tack-inserting mechanism reaches its full advanced position ready for the insertion of a tack, the toe rest again becomes automatically locked against the downward movement from whatever heightwise position it may have reached due to the varying contour of the toe end of the shoe and remains locked until the tack-driving operation has been concluded.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, the combination with lasting devices including a wiper and fasteninginserting mechanism, of means for yieldingly supporting the toe of a shoe presented to the machine in the hands of an operator, and means for rigidly upholding said supporting means during the operation of the wiper and fastening-inserting mechanism.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with upper-tensioning means and fastening-inserting mechanism, of means for yieldingly upholding the toe portion of a shoe presented to the machine in the hands of an operator during the operation of the upper-tensioning means, and means for rigidly supporting said upholding means during the operation of the fastening-inserting mechamsm.

3. In a lasting machine, the combination with upper-tensioning means, a wiper and tack-driving mechanism, of means for yieldingly upholding the toe portion of a shoe presented to the machine in the hands of the operator during the operation of the upper-mnsioning means, and means for rigidly supporting said upholding means during the operation of thewiper and tack-driving mechanism.

4. In a lasting machine, the combination of an upper-tensi-oning gripper, a wiper for wiping the tensioned upper over the last bottom, a toe rest pivoted to the frame of the machine head, means for yieldingly sustaining the rest during the operation of the gripper, and means operated by the wiper for sustaining the rest unyieldingly during the operation of the wiper.

5'. In a lasting machine, the combination with lasting devices including a wiper and fastening mechanism, of a rest for engaging the toe portion of a shoe presented to the wiper, means for yieldingly upholding said rest, and means for rigidly supporting said rest during the operation of the wiper and fastening mechanism, the rest at other times being under the influence only of said yielding means.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination with upper-tensioning means, a wiper and tack-driving means, of a rest for engaging the toe of a shoe presented to the machine, means for yieldingly supporting said rest during the operation of the upper-tensioning means, and means for rigidly supporting said rest during the operation of the wiper and tack-driving means.

7. In a lasting machine, the combination with upper-tensioning means and tack-driving means, of a rest for engaging the toe of a shoepr'esented to the machine, means for yieldingly supporting said rest during the operation of the upper-tensioning means, and means for rigidly supporting said rest during the operation of the tackdriving means.

i 8. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for tensioning successive portions of ashes upper over a last, means for securing the upper in lasted position, a rest pivoted to the machine frame for movement in a vertical plane to engage the toe of the shoe beneath the securing means, a spring for maintainin said rest lightly against the shoe during the tensiom'ng operation, and a power-operated pawl for locking said rest against downward movement during the securing operation.

9. A lasting machine comprising a gripper for progressively working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of the last of a shoe presented thereto in the hands of an operator, means for Wiping each gripped portion into lasted position, means for inserting a tack through each wiped-over portion, a support for engaging the shoe opposite to the point of operation of the wiping and tacking mechanism, means comprising a ratchet and pawl acting to hold the support against the downward pressure of the wiping and tackingmeans, and means for releasing said pawl after a tack is driven to permit repositioning of the shoe for the operation of the gripper on another portion of the upper.

10. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for tensioning successive portions of a shoe upper over a last, meansfor wiping the 'upper overthe last bottom, means for securing the upper in lasted position, a rest pivoted to the machine frame for movement in a vertical plane to engage the toe of theshoe beneath the wiping and securing means, a spring for main-- taining said rest lightly against the shoe during the tensioning operation, and a power-operated pawl for locking said rest against downward movement during the wiping and securing ope'rations. i

'11. In a lasting machine, the combination with upper-tensioning means, a wiper, a slide operating to carry the wiper into and out of position over the bottom of a shoe presented thereto in the hands of the operator, and a tack driver arranged'to drive tacks through the wiper, of a rest arranged to engage the toe portion of the shoe, connections between the wiper slide and the rest for sustaining the rest rigidly during the operation of the wiper and tack driver, and means including a spring for holding the rest in engagement with the shoe but permitting substantially free movement of the rest downwardly during that portion of the operation when the wiper is notover the shoe'bottom.

12. In a lasting machine, the combination with an upper-tensioning gripper, and a wiper for wiping the tensioned upper over the last bottom, of a toe rest pivoted to the machine frame, means for yieldingly sustaining the rest during the operation of the gripper, and means operated by the wiper for crowding the rest toward the shoe during the operation of the wiper. r

18. In a lasting machine, the combination with operating devices acting in a cycle and including upper-tensioning means, a wiper, and fastening-inserting mechanism, of a rest for engaging the toe portion ouly of a shoepresented to the machine, and means for rigidly securing said upholding means during the operation of the wiper and fastening-inserting mechanism and for releasing the supporting means for movement by the shoe during other portions of the cycle.

14. A lasting machine comprising a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last progressively, means for inserting a tack through each said overworked portion, a support for engagingthe shoe opposite to the point of operation of. the tack inserting means, and means operated after each portion of the upper is overworked and prior to the tacking operation rigidly to hold the support against downward pressure of the tack-inserting means.

15. In a cyclic lasting machine, the combina tion with upper-tensioning means and fastening.- inserting means, of means for yieldingly upholding the. toe of a shoe presented to the machine during the operation of the upper-tensioning means, and means for rigidly supporting said upholding means during that part of the cycle when the fastening-inserting means is operating.

16. A lasting machine comprising a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last progressively, means for inserting a tack through each overworked portion, a support for engaging the shoe opposite to the point of operation of the tack-inserting means, and means operating after the overworking means has operated and prior to the operation of the tack-inserting means to urge the support toward the shoe and sustain it positively against downward pressure of the tack-inserting means.

17. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for tensioning successive portions of a shoe upper over a last, means for securing each portion oithe upper in lasted position, a rest arranged to. engage the toe of the shoe beneath the securing means, means for maintaining said rest yieldingly against the shoe during the uppertensioning operation, and means for holding the rest against downward movement and for pushing upwardly thereon during the securing operation. v

18. Alasting machine having, in combination, means for tensioning successive portions of a shoe upper over a last, means for wiping the upper against thelast bottom, means for securing the upper in lasted position, a rest pivoted to the machine frame for movement in a vertical plane to engage the toe of the shoe beneath the wiping and securing means, means for maintaining said rest lightlyagain'st the shoe during the tensioning operation; and means for locking said rest against downward movement during the wiping and securing operations.

'19. In a shoe machine having operating mechanism which during part of a cycle tends to lift the shoe and during part of the cycle tends to depress the shoe, a rest for the toe of the shoe, means for yieldingly supporting the rest while the tendency of; the mechanism is to raise the shoe, and means for rigidly supporting the rest while the tendency of the mechanism is to depress the shoe. I

20, A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions'of an upper over the bottom of a last, a wiper for work ing the upper against the last bottom, a rest engaging the toe portion only of the shoe, and means for positively sustaining said rest during that portion of the cycle when the wiper is in engagement with the shoe bottom.

21. A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last, a Wiper ior wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, a rest for engaging the toe portion of the shoe, means including a pawl for locking the rest against movement away from the shoe, and eccentric means operated by the wiper for urging the rest toward the wiper.

2 2. A lasting machine comprising a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last progressively, means for wiping each tensioned portion into lasted position, means for inserting a tack through each wipedover portion, a support for engaging the shoe op- ,positeto the point of operation of the wiping and tacking means, and means operating only during the wiping. and tacking operations to urge the support toward the shoe and sustain it positively against the downward pressure of the wiping and tacking means.

23. A lasting machine having, in combination,

means for tensioning successive portions of a shoe upper over a last, meansfor wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, means forsecuring the upper in lasted position, a rest pivoted to the machine frame for movement in a vertical plane to engage the toe of the shoe beneath the wiping and securing means, means for maintaining said rest yieldingly against the shoe during the tensioning operation, and means for holding the rest against downward movement and for pushing upwardly thereon during the wiping and securing operation. 24. In a lasting machine, the combination of ,an ,upper-tensioning gripper, means for securing each tensioned portion of the upper in lasted position, a toe rest arranged for movement toward and from the shoe, means for yieldingly sustaining the rest during the operation of the gripper, and means for positively sustaining the rest and crowding it toward the shoe during the operation of the, upper-securing means, said the hands of the operator, a tack driver arranged to drive tacks through the wiper, a rest arranged to engage the toe portion of the shoe, and connections between the slide and the rest for urging therest toward the shoe and for sustaining the rest rigidly during the operation of the wiper and tack driver and permitting substantially free movement of the rest downwardly at other times.

26. In a lasting machine, the combination of an upper-tensioning gripper, a wiper for wiping the tensioned upper over the last bottom, a toe rest arranged for movement toward and from the shoe, means for yieldingly sustaining the rest during the operation of the gripper, means for positively sustaining the rest and crowding it toward the shoe during the operation of the wiper, said means comprising a pawl, and eccentric means through which the pawl is operated positively to sustain the rest and to urge it toward the shoe.

27. A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last, a wiper for wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, a rest for engaging the toe portion of the shoe, a toothed segment connected to the rest, a pawl engaging the segment to lock the rest against movement away from the shoe, and a power-operated lever having. an eccentric connection to the pawl whereby operation of the lever will move the pawl to take up any space between the pawl and a tooth on the segment.

28. A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last, a wiper for wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, a rest for engaging the toe portion of the shoe, a toothed segment connected to the rest, a pawl engaging the segment to lock the restagainst movement away from the shoe, a power-operated lever having an eccentric connection to the pawl whereby operation of the lever will move the pawl to take up any space between the pawl and a tooth on the segment, and a lost-motion connection between the pawl and the lever whereby reverse movement of the lever will release the pawl and then move it out of contact with the segment.

29. A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last, a wiper for wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, a rest for engaging the toe portion of the shoe, a toothed segment connected to the rest, a lever having a fixed pivot, a spring-pressed pawl pivoted to the lever and engaging said segment, an eccentric having 'a fixed axis and acting on said lever to move the rest toward the shoe, andpower-operated means for actuating the eccentric while the wiper is operating.

30. A lasting machine having, in combination, a gripper for working successive portions of an upper over the bottom of a last, a wiper for wiping the upper against the shoe bottom, a rest for engaging the toe portion of the shoe, a toothed segment connected to the rest, a lever having a fixed pivot, a spring-pressed pawl pivoted to the lever and engaging said-segment, a spring-operated lever having eccentricconnection to the pawl pivot whereby said spring acts to cause engagement of the pawl with the ratchet and to operate the eccentric to take up the space between the pawl and the tooth of the segment, and additional means comprising a power-operated eccentric acting to urge the lever, pawl and segment in a direction to move the rest toward the wiper.

31. In a lasting" machine, the combination of upper-tensioning means, a wiper, a wiper slide carrying the wiper, a tack driver arranged to drive tacks through the wiperfa rest arranged to engage the toe portion of a shoe presented to the machine, and connections between the wiper slide and the rest for sustaining the rest substantially rigidly during the operation of the wiper and tack driver and permitting movement of the rest downwardly during the operation of the upper-tensioning means.

32. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for working successive portions of an upper over a last and securing them in lasted position, a rest for engaging the shoe toe pivoted to the frame and carrying a cam projecting rearwardly of the pivot, a spring-actuated lever having a roll engaging said cam to maintain the rest yieldingly against the shoe, said cam having a depression which is engaged by said roll when the rest is swung downwardly whereby the rest is maintained yieldingly in an out-of-the-way position. i

33. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for working successive portions of an upper over a last and securing them in lasted position, a rest for engaging the toe portion of a shoe, said rest being pivoted to the frame of the machine head, and means for yieldingly sustaining the rest in operative position and permitting the rest to be swung downwardly into the inoperative position.

34. A lasting machine having, in combination,

means for working successive portions of an upper over a last and securing them in lasted position at the ends and sides of a shoe, a rest for engaging the toe of the shoe, and means for yieldingly sustaining the rest in operative position while operating upon the toe of the shoe and permitting the rest to be swung downwardly into the inoperative position when operating upon other portions of the shoe.

35. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for wiping successive portions of an upper over a last and securing them in lasted position, a rest for engaging the shoe toe pivoted to the frame and having a cam portion projecting rearwardly of the pivot, and means engaging said cam to maintain the rest yieldingly toward the shoe, said cam being shaped to permit the rest to be swung into an out-of-the-way position.

36. A lasting machine having, in combination, means for working successive portions of an upper over a last and securing them in lasted position, a rest for engaging the shoe toe pivoted to the machine frame and carrying a cam, and a spring-actuated lever for engaging said cam to maintain the rest yieldingly against the shoe, said cam having a depression whereby the rest is maintained yieldingly in an out-ofthe-way position when swung out of operative position.

ARTHUR BATES. 

